A homey bike shop with espresso and European sammies is one of several good reasons to squeeze the brakes when riding this greenway on Indy’s near-south side.

Formerly known as the Zionsville Rail Trail, the Big-4 Rail Trail, a greenway through the heart of the northwestern suburb, is a favorite of children and parents, at the center of a sprawling system that spans Boone County.

Call it the non-Monon: The Towpath may not get as much love as a certain other north-south greenway running through the heart of Indianapolis, but this trail following the route of a nearly 200-year-old canal system connects some of the city’s top cultural attractions and destination neighborhoods—and has a unique rural character all its own.

Two tires might be better than four if you live on the northeast side, work downtown, and face a frustrating commute. The Fall Creek Trail meanders alongside its namesake waterway from Geist Reservoir, across the Monon near 33rd Street, and on to downtown. Savvy cyclists beat State Fair traffic in August and peep the changing leaves at Fort Harrison State Park in the fall. Hard stops rarely interrupt the wide, paved path, popular with serious riders doing time trials, families out for joyrides, and pedestrians, too.